Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 72, 1206-1211, Copyright © 1991 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Effect of recombinant activin on androgen synthesis in cultured human thecal cells

SG Hillier, EL Yong, PJ Illingworth, DT Baird, RH Schwall and AJ Mason
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.

The effect of activin-A on ovarian androgen synthesis was tested in vitro using serum-free monolayer cultures of human thecal cells. Maximal rates of androgen (androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone) production were induced by treating the cells for 4 days with LH (10 ng/mL) in the presence of insulin-like growth factor-I (greater than or equal to 30 ng/mL). The additional presence of recombinant activin-A (1- 100 ng/mL) in culture medium caused dose-dependent suppression of thecal cell androgen production, with 50% maximal inhibition occurring at an activin-A concentration of about 10 ng/mL. Progesterone production was only suppressed by high dose (100 ng/mL) activin-A, and inhibition of steroid production occurred without inhibition of DNA synthesis (tritiated thymidine uptake). These results reveal a potent and selective inhibitory action of activin-A on thecal cell androgen synthesis, consistent with a paracrine function for activin(s) in modulating follicular androgen biosynthesis in the human ovary.

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